Book 3: Fire
by maarc
Summary: When Azula takes down Aang the spirits bring a new Avatar to the Gaang's world. Along with the Gaang and the friends he bought with him, will he be able to take Aang's place and bring balance to a world that he doesn't even belong to?
1. Chapter 1: I have no idea

**I have no idea.**

**Deep beneath the city of Ba Sing Se:**

"There's too many" whispered the young avatar as he looked from Katara to the hordes of Dai Li and the Prince and Princess of the Fire Nation. Knowing what he had to do he earthbended crystals around himself and tried to open his final Chakra.

Katara looked tearfully up at the glowing form of the avatar as he entered the avatar state, not noticing Azula, the Fire Nation Princess sending a large bolt of lightning through his chest until it had struck.

**Lewes college, the town of Lewes:**

Sat in the common room, five teenagers sit laughing and joking. Marc, fair haired and blue eyed suddenly goes quiet. His arms dropped by his side, spilling his water over his rolled up denim shorts. Georgia's the first to notice, water splashing against her tanned leg.

"Marc? What was that for?" she asks, noticing Marc's blank eyes "hush up guys".

Ally, the short dark haired teen, Zac the well built young man and Bekah, her usually smiley face suddenly turning serious as they all notice Marc's sudden change. "wha-" Zac blurts out as Marc's eyes suddenly glow a bright blue and the surrounding college disappears from around them and they find themselves falling through bright blue light....

**Deep underneath Ba Sing Se two days after Aang's defeat:**

Zac's the first to wake, his black hair dishevelled he wakes up inside a giant room. "there's no windows, no lights, so why can I see?" he says to himself. That was the point he realises his four friends were all lying on the floor, apparently unconscious. Remembering what had happened in the common room at college he rushes over to Marc, checking his eyes. They were back to his normal blue.

"What the fuck? Where are we?" the sudden question from Ally taking Zac completely by surprise.

"Oh good, you're awake." Now turning to look at the bewildered looking girl "but to answer your question, I have no idea."

Two sharp intakes of air make Ally and Zac jump. Looking around them they see Georgia and Bekah gasping for air. "guys! Thank god!" Ally exclaims, leaping at Bekah and hugging her more tightly then she'd hugged anybody before.

While being helped up by Zac, Georgia looks down at Marc "What happened to him back at college?...his eyes, i'd never seen anything li-" her eyes drawn to two dark shapes moving across the cave, she immediately stops talking. Noticing her sudden silence they all look in the same direction.

Two men in dark green cloaks were calmly walking towards them. Without realising what they were all doing they all took a stance, the two men saw this and started to attack. Before they knew it, the four teens had started to move. Bekah had jumped 7 feet into the air, sending a wall of air into one of the men. At the same time Zac sent two fireballs in the other man's direction. With both men on the floor Ally and Georgia leapt into action, the former bending the earth underneath one of them so he was completely swallowed up, the latter bending the water from one of the nearby streams and turning it into ice crystals, imprisoning the second man.

Unnoticed by his four friends Marc stood, watching the action unfold. As the two men were captured he speaks up "Wow, when did you guys learn to do that?" looking completely bewildered they all say in unison "I have no idea"


	2. Chapter 2: Where the hell is Ba Sing Se?

**Where the hell is Ba Sing Se?**

**In Ba Sing Se's Royal Palace dungeon:**

The last airbender, the avatar. The worlds last hope for peace. The waterbender was sleeping by his bed. After taking Aang from beneath the city Katara had tried to find her brother Sokka. However he had found her, he'd broken out of Dai Li imprisonment with Toph and the Earth King. With Aang out of action it didn't take long for them to be recaptured. They were taken to the dungeons beneath the Royal Palace and left there. The young woman suddenly gasps in her sleep, reliving the moment Aang is struck, over and over in her sleep. A single tear falls down her cheek.

**Back beneath Ba Sing Se:**

For once the quintet was speechless. They all looked at each other, wide eyed. Ally was the first to break the silence "How exactly _did _we do that?".

"I have literally no idea, one second I was looking at these guys" Georgia says while pointing at the two men "the next I was doing that, I was fully aware of what I was doing; I'm just not sure how i knew how to do it".

"Yeah, that's how I felt too" Zac agreed, Bekah and Ally nodded in affirmation.

"So no we're all what, superheroes?" one of the robed men snickered at Marc's comment.

"Something funny?" Zac barked at the man in question.

"you think you're superheroes because you can bend?" he said with a smirk on his face "there's benders everywhere".

"Bending?" asked Bekah.

"Didn't you hear my colleague the first time? BENDING!" the second man snapped.

"Where are you people even from? Not knowing what bending is, you did it pretty well for people who haven't heard of it before" the first man said. The group all looked angrily at the two men, just about ready to strike again.

"Okay guys, just calm down." Marc said firmly, but to his friend's surprise, quite calmly. Now giving his attention to the two men "now, you two, I don't think you're in any position to get smart, tell us exactly where we are and who you are"

Also surprised by the teens apparent calm the second man was the first to talk. "You are in the city of Ba Sing Se, now under fire nation control. We are agents of the Dai Li. Now why don't you tell us who _you _are and why exactly it is you're down here"

This time it was Bekah who spoke, breaking her quietness. "My names Bekah, this is Marc, Georgia, Zac and Ally" she said pointing to her friends respectively "and we have no idea why we're down here"

Ally, now pushing her way into the conversation "and where the hell is _Ba Sing Se_, also, who's the fire nation?"

This time the first man retorted "How can you not know where Ba Sing Se is, your directly beneath the city. And how can you not know the fire nation? They've been waging war against the world for the past 100 years. Where are you from? Another world?".

"I think that's exactly the case, a completely different world" Zac said in complete surprise.

"HOW CAN WE BE ON ANOTHER WORLD? And suddenly have these powers?" she half shouted, sounding scared.

"I'm not sure, what we need to figure out, is to how to get home. And more importantly, can _I_ bend?" Marc blurted out, sounding too excited. Thinking about it, something clicked in his mind, he raised his arms, finding water following it. Then he took an earthbending stance and pulled up a pillar or earth. Following from this he made a ball of air sent it flying to the ceiling. Finally he punched at the air, sending a fireball into the wall. The two men looked at this, jaws dropped.

"How can it be, we defeated the avatar a few days ago. You're a teenager, how could that happen?" one of the main said in shock.

Almost immediately after saying this the ice keeping the first man trapped shattered and the man in the ground came flying out. Looking around the group noticed more dark robe clad men had appeared and set free their fellow men. "Well where did they come from?" Bekah exclaimed.

"I don't know, but there's too many, we have to get out of here" Zac said, eyes wide.

"I'm on it!" Marc said while running to the side of the room and opened up a tunnel. "Come on!" Marc gestured to the others, pointing at the tunnel. Making sure everyone got in he sent a large wave of water to the large group of Dai Li while Ally closed up the tunnel.


	3. Chapter 3: Is that an open sewer?

**Is that an **_**open sewer?**_

**The streets of Ba Sing Se:**

The group of teens came running out of the hole in the ground, into the night air of the streets of the lower ring of Ba Sing Se. They didn't stop running, knowing that the Dai Li would be right behind them. After running for about 10 minutes, they came to a halt, a convoy of men in red uniforms. They seemed to be leading what looked like rhinos, pulling a metal cart. Through the bars in the side they group saw the face of an old man, apparently he was a prisoner.

Suddenly Ally broke the silence and whispered "can anybody smell that?"

"ssshh!" Bekah hissed at her.

"Is that an _open_ sewer? Thats gross!" ally hissed, ignoring bekah.

"Will you _shut up_" hissed Bekah, a little too loudly this time. She'd managed to gain the attention of one of the men in red uniforms. He alerted his colleagues and suddenly the group of teens were surrounded.

"We are Fire Nation soldiers! A curfew has been put in place and you have breached it! Surrender now and you won't be harmed!" said one of the soldiers.

"Hey those agents mentioned the Fire Nation; I don't think they're the good guys" Zac whispered to his friends. Realizing that they were outnumbered and they knew nothing about their enemies the group decided to surrender.

While cuffing them the leader ordered his men to throw the quintet into the metal cart with the old prisoner. The inside of the cart wasn't very big, just enough room for the six of them. The five teenagers looked at the elderly man. His grey hair was bedraggled, his face and arms covered in dirt. His robes which were once different shades of green and yellow were turning to dirty browns.

The man pulled his head up and looked straight at Marc, "you, who are you?"

Looking slightly startled by the man's interest in him Marc sputtered out "Marc, my name's Marc. Who are you? Where is the fire nation taking you?"

"So you know about the fire nation? You don't look like you're from around here" the old man said in a surprisingly upbeat tone. "My name is General Iroh, Brother to Fire Lord Ozai, no longer associated with him. These men are taking me and the brave group of children in the cart behind us to the Fire Nation capital. To face certain execution."

All five of the teen's eyes widened and mouths dropped. "Execution! But why?" Zac blurted out.

"What could you have done to deserve that?" Bekah asked eyes still wide.

"I betrayed my brother by helping those children try to stop my niece and nephew take over this city and effectively win the war. Obviously they failed, but I don't regret helping them." Iroh said, still surprisingly upbeat.

"Who are the children?" Georgia asked looking back at the other metal cart she hadn't previously noticed.

"There are two Water Tribe children, one a waterbender the other a warrior. They found the current avatar in an iceberg at their home in the Southern Water Tribe. There's also a blind earthbender, one of the most talented I've ever seen. Lastly of course there is the avatar, a young Airbender" he suddenly looked down. "He is the world's last hope for peace and i'm afraid my niece has killed him".

Ally suddenly looked round at Marc "hey didn't those guys mention something about the avatar, the Dai Li?" she half shouted.

"Yeah! After seeing me bend all the elements! What's the avatar anyway?" marc directed the last part to Iroh, who's eyes had also gone wide.

Iroh started to whisper, an ounce of suspense in his voice "The Avatar is the only one in the world who can bend all four elements, now something must have gone wrong if there is another here. But Aang can't be dead, surely."

**In the cart behind Iroh's:**

"How are they doing Katara?" Sokka said, looking worryingly at Toph and Aang. The blind earthbender had tried to escape before they were transported, bending the metal of their cell. The firebenders guarding her cell overwhelmed her and knocked her out.

"Toph seems to be fine, I don't know why she won't wake up." Katara mumbled, the waterbender hadn't slept for days, she'd been putting all her energy into making sure Aang and now Toph stay alive. "Did you see who they picked up in the other cart?"

Getting up to have another look through the grill in the cart Sokka whispered "No, but there was definitely a group, four or five maybe, they must just be some other kids, caught out by the curfew."

Looking disheartened Katara mumbled "Yeah, must be". Silence fell upon the cart as Katara checked over Aang and Toph for what felt like thousandth time.


	4. Chapter 4: What the hell is that?

**What the hell is that thing?**

**In Ba Sing Se's great palace:**

"For god sake Zuzu stop pacing, if I didn't know you better I'd think you were nervous" The shrill voice came from Azula, draped over The Earth King's throne. "What is there to worry about?"

"I'm not nervous! I'm fine! And will you _stop _calling me _Zuzu_?" Zuko shouted at his sister. A giggle came from the girl walking on her hands towards Zuko.

"I think it's cute!" Ty Lee's sweet voice chimed in. "There's nothing wrong with a good nickname!"

"There's everything wrong with a good nickname Ty Lee. And Azula, you heard him, his name's _Zuko_." Said Mai, slumped against a pillar watching the Prince pace.

Suddenly a loud knock came from the majestic door leading into the throne room. Zuko immediately stopped pacing, Ty Lee stood on her feet, Mai barely acknowledging it. Azula stood up and looked straight at the door. "Enter" she said in her icy voice. A Dai Li agent shuffled in, keeping his eyes to the floor. "What do you want?"

"It's the prisoners Princess, they've escaped" the rough voice answered. Before anyone could react Azula had shot the agent full of lightening, her eyes full of rage.

**Half an hour earlier back at the carts:**

Momo flew stealthily in through the grill in the cart and landed on Iroh's shoulder. "It's time you five, I won't be coming with you but you _have _to get the other four and get them away from the city, far, far away."

"Where will you go?" Ally asked, worry in her voice.

"That doesn't matter, but we shall meet again." As the old man finished his sentence Momo flew out the window, chattering away. The carts stopped, guards looking for the source of the noise. A second later a loud roar came from the sky and the guards started shouting. "It's time to go! Now!" Lightning flew through the air and struck the door of the cart; the door flew off and hit a guard to the ground. "Go!" the quintet jumped out and started towards the second cart.

**In the second cart:**

Katara heard the roar and looked up, just after that Sokka was up and looking out the grill. "Was that Appa? What's going on Sokka?" Katara asked, suddenly wide awake, adrenaline pumping.

"It must have been! I can't see what's going on! There's loads of dust!" Momo went flying in through the grill, almost hitting Sokka straight in the face. The lemur looked straight at the door as a dent formed in it.

"Ally! Hitting it inwards isn't going to work! Get outta the way!" shouted Marc. Katara, not knowing who it was dragged Aang to the back of the cart. Then water came through the crack in the door and froze around the lock mechanism. The ice smashed and the door swung open to reveal to Katara and Sokka the form of Marc. "Come on! We gotta get out of here!"

Looking at each other Sokka and Katara decided wordlessly that it was their only chance. Katara picked up Aang and Sokka picked up Toph and jumped out the cart. Surrounded by the mysterious group of five strangers they made it to the source of the roaring. The brother and sister recognized it immediately as Appa and proceeded to lift their unconscious onto the flying bison.

"What the _hell _is that thing?" roared Ally over all the noise.

"_His_ name is_ Appa_! And he's our way outta here so climb on!" Shouted Sokka from atop the bison's back. Agreeing that he was indeed their only way out of the situation the quintet climbed onto the bison's back. "Hold on everybody! This is gonna be a rough ride! **YIP YIP**!" the bison flapped his tail and the group found themselves flying through the air, dodging fire balls and spears. Soon enough they were out of range and flying away from the great city.


	5. Chapter 5: Hey sugarqueen!

**The Jasmine Dragon, Ba Sing Se:**

For the past few days the Jasmine Dragon had been empty, ever since Zuko and Iroh were taken by Azula and the Dai Li. This morning however, a steady stream of old people had been entering the building. Nobody quite knew why, but didn't think anything of it; after all, it was a tea shop. The sweet smell of tea came floating out, taking the attention away from the sound of hushed conversations. It was a bold move of Iroh, using the tea shop to hold the meetings. It was well known by the Dai Li that it was his shop, but so far it seemed to be working. After leaving the young group of heroes he travelled back through the city, out of site of any fire nation soldier or Dai Li agent he saw. He surprised himself at how well he did this, considering his size and current state, very weak after being held in the prisons for the past few days. All he could think of was a nice warm cup of Jasmine tea from his very own tea shop. After sending out the message the night he escaped, Iroh had people arriving within the hour. It was now the next afternoon, he had stopped lingering on the children, he knew they'd be alright. His attention now directed to his niece and nephew, wondering what their plans would be. They would certainly not be going back to the Fire Nation, not after the prisoners escaped. This was why he had sent out the message, to form a plan firstly to reach his nephew and secondly somehow retaking the two cities of Ba Sing Se and Omashu. Omashu was less of a problem; he knew Bumi would have a plan, well, less of a plan and more of a crazy idea. There was a knock on the door, the eleventh today. Iroh approached the door, passing two men engaged in a Pai Sho game and asked through the door "Who knocks at the guarded gate?"

A feminine voice replied, catching Iroh by surprise "One who has eaten the fruit and tasted it's mysteries."

Suddenly recognizing the voice Iroh flung open the door and exclaimed" Ursa! It's been too long!" The old fire lady bowed in appreciation and walked through the threshold after being beckoned in by her ex brother in-law.

**Somewhere east of Ba Sing Se:**

The group had been flying for hours, night had turned into day. Nobody had said a word, all lost in their own thoughts. As they flew round a hill a ruined town came into view. Sokka broke the silence "I'm gonna take us down into the town, it looks safe enough!" the exhausted boy shouted over the wind. The bison landed in a courtyard, a dilapidated fountain in the centre. Before it was abandoned and then ruined it must have been a beautiful place. But now all that was left were the ruined buildings. Fire damage was clear on some buildings, making it obvious what had happened here. Everyone dismounted Appa, Marc and Bekah helped Katara take Toph and Aang off the bison's back. Ally had raised two platforms of earth; the two unconscious children were laid on one each. Sokka and Zac had started to make a fire in the old fountain while Georgia had gone to fill some containers with water. All of this was done in complete silence that was until Sokka broke it again. "So who the hell are you guys anyway?" he asked, eyebrow raised. "You two are waterbenders right? You must be from the North pole." The last question was pointed towards Marc and Georgia, who had returned with two containers full of water.

"Well you're probably not gonna believe anything I say, it's pretty farfetched. But hey, you guys seemed to be used that!" Marc answered, you could clearly hear he was very tired. "but we're from a different world. We came to this conclusion back in, what was it? Ba Sing Se?" Sokka nodded in agreement." But we are from another world, while talking to General Iroh, he said he knew you guys he surmised that the spirits took us from our world and put us here, to help after Aang was taken out."

"No offence, but some waterbenders aren't gonna be able to replace Aang, he's the avatar" Katara said, not looking at Marc but at Aang.

"Well that's the thing, we're all benders too. I'm an earthbender, Zac here is a firebender, Bekah over there is an airben-"Sokka cut Ally off before she could finish her sentence.

"An airbender! But Aang's like the last one of them!"

"Yeah, so Iroh told us. But you'll find the next bit even more surprising" Bekah answered as she nodded at Marc.

"I'm not just a waterbender" Sokka and Katara looked straight at Marc, eyes wide. "I can bend all four elements, like Aang." The sibling's mouths dropped in unison. "Iroh also surmised that I'm our world's avatar, but we don't have bending there. So the spirits took me and the four people im closest to and bought us here, to help Aang and I guess you guys" Marc explained as he gestured to Sokka and Katara and then looked at Toph. Still speechless, Katara looked at Toph, a movement had caught her eye.

"Did anyone else see that? I swear Toph just moved her hand!" Katara exclaimed, apparently happy that her friend was awakening. "I think she's waking up!"

"Hey sugarqueen, you mind keeping it down?" Toph mumbled at Katara, whose smile had quickly turned into a frown after the insult from the little earthbender.

A giggle emerged from Sokka as he got up and walked towards his friend. "You finally decided to wake up then? What took you so long?"

"If I didn't know you better snoozles I'd say you were worried about me" Toph said while trying to hide a blush.

"I wasn't worried about you for a second, no fire freak could take the greatest earthbender out" this comment from Sokka only furthered Toph's blush.

"You're too right snoozles. Aang still not awake?" she asked, not looking at anyone in particular.

Having lost herself in one friend's awakening Katara looked back at Aang, her face drooping again. "No, he's still out cold."

"He'll be fine. He always is right? Anyway, who are those guys?" Toph asked the last question and pointed at the group of friends sat behind her.

"These five, are here to help. We would never have escaped if it wasn't for them" answered Katara.

"Yeah, after you got yourself knocked out we were thrown into carts to be transported to the fire nation. On the way out of Ba Sing Se these 5 were captured but Iroh helped them escape and they broke us out, we escaped on Appa." Katara explained to Toph.

"Wow. You guys randomly helped out four kids you don't even know? I guess we owe you, twinkletoes over will thank you for me when he wakes up" Toph said with a nod. The Quintet, still quiet nodded and thanked Toph for her disjointed thank you.

"You still don't know the half of it though, Ally's an earthbender, Georgia's a waterbender, Zac's a firebender and Bekah here is an airbender" Sokka explained, pointing at each respectively.

"An airbender! So Twinkletoes is no longer the last one? He'll be happy when he wakes up."

"And Marc" Sokka paused and pointed to Marc "He's another avatar".

"Another avatar? That's gonna piss off the fire nation. Just as they thought they took Aang out, another comes along to join the fight" retorted Toph, quite matter of factly.

**Back in Ba Sing Se's great palace:**

The two Dai Li agents that were taken down by Marc and friends glided into the throne room where Azula was waiting on the Earth King's throne, Zuko stood next to her. Mai and Ty Lee were nowhere to be seen, presumably made to leave by Azula. They stopped just by a dark mark on the ground, where unbeknown to them a colleague was struck down by the very same person they were stood in front of. "What do you two want?" Azula asked the two men, not even daring to look at her.

"We have information Princess Azula; apparently there is a new Avatar. He's already a teenager, 15 at least. He didn't seem to be from around here. They seemed to be from a different world. He had 4 friends with him, all benders, there was even an airbender Princess" reported one of the agents. The other man gave a description of the quintet, Azula remained surprisingly calm throughout. Surprise was evident in Prince Zuko's face.

"Azula, they sound like the ones who broke out with uncle and the other avatar and friends." Zuko mentioned.

"Yes Zuzu, very well done." Azula replied to Zuko, still very calm. "It seems we have some new enemies. We have to find this new avatar and kill him like we did with the first. Then we will imprison their friends and leave them to _rot_." Particular emphasis was put on rot. "Then father will lead an attack on the water tribes, wiping out any new avatar before it can become a threat. We can still salvage this Zuzu, but we have to do it before we go home, before father finds out."

Zuko looked at her, amazed at how determined she was. Not knowing if he could be as brutal as her. But he wanted to go home, have his father's approval once again. Regain his honour. He'd do anything to get it back. Then his thoughts drifted to uncle...what had happened to him? He was wrenched away from his thoughts by the happy voice of Ty Lee floating across the room. "does this mean we get to go on another adventure?"


	6. Chapter 6:One more time, just to be sure

**Back in the abandoned Earth Kingdom town:**

Everyone seemed to getting along well together. It was the day after Toph woke up and before lunch the group had decided to have a sparring match. Apart from Zac and Bekah that was. Ever since they arrived in the town the day before, the others seemed to be able to get on with the Gaang straight away. Despite Zac and Bekah's best efforts however, stayed on the outside. They watched the sparring from a distance. Zac surmised his problems with fitting in were because he was a firebender, making the others immediately suspicious of him. Bekah agreed, they had plenty of time to talk seeming as they generally couldn't get into the group conversations. The spar was going well, Ally and Georgia were holding their own against the more experienced bending of Katara and Toph. Marc of course was dominating the match, what with all four elements at his disposal. Sokka was cheering on from the side, mainly for Marc, seeming as he was the man in the ring. Momo was on his shoulder, randomly chirping at the bending teens.

Sokka was the first to notice the hawk flying over them, mainly because Momo had stopped chirping and started growling at the hawk. Sokka managed to grab hold of the lemur before he was able to fly off. The hawk flew over everyone and landed on the other side of the ring, at the feet of Zac and Bekah. As if for the first time since arriving, everyone seemed to be paying attention to the two of them. The hawk started clawing at Zac. "I think the message on its back is for you Zac" Bekah told the firebender sat next to her.

"For me? Who's be sending me mail?" Zac asked the hawk as if it was going to answer. He took the message out of the container and looked at the message. "it's from Iroh!"

"You mean the guy who helped us escape back in Ba Sing Se?" Ally asked the group in general.

"That's the one!" Georgia answered, looking away from Zac only momentarily. "Well what does it say!"

"It says he wants me to go back to Ba Sing Se to help him! And for Bekah to come too!" replied Zac.

"He wants us to split up?" Marc asked, quite worried.

"We need to make a plan, everyone get back to the fountain. Team meeting in 10 minutes!" Sokka announced, eyes wide, giant smile spread across his face.

**Ba Sing Se's upper ring:**

The monorail system was no longer run by earthbending; the earthbenders couldn't be trusted not to do anything stupid. The only remaining free earthbenders in Ba Sing Se were the Dai Li, the others had been rounded up and put in metal prisons in the lower ring, and any left were living in fear of being captured. They monorail system had been upgraded to run on coal, which meant they left a trail of smoke as they went along. Surprisingly to Azula it was Zuko's idea to have them upgraded, but Azula was too distracted, she still hadn't decided what to do. She knew she needed to remain in Ba Sing Se; things were still too volatile in the city for her to leave. Her father however wanted her to return home, she thought he was just holding her back but Azula knew better then to argue with her father, for now.

"This is sooo boring Azula! When are we going to do something fun?" Ty Lee had begun to grow bored of Ba Sing Se, she didn't entirely agree with what Azula was doing to the city, but she knew not to cross Azula.

"Be quiet Ty Lee, can't you see I'm thinking?" Azula retorted, showing signs of her stress. Ty Lee sat down with a huff, knowing she shouldn't say another thing.

"So what's the plan Azula?" Zuko asked, still looking at Mai who was gazing out the window.

"I'm not sure yet Zuzu, father requires our presence back home. But I don't think it's the right time to go back quite yet, not for a few weeks. Then I'll be ready." Azula answered, a determined look spread across her face.

"Ready for what?" Zuko asked, looking quite surprised.

"The invasion of course, I want to be back in time to help protect our home" Azula replied, covering her tracks very well, of course she wasn't surprised how easily her brother could be fooled. The next thing she knew herself and the occupants of the monorail carriage as well as the carriage itself were falling towards the ground. As they hit the ground she saw people in navy cloaks, just before everything went black.

**The Jasmine Dragon, an hour previous:**

"So everybody knows the plan?" asked Iroh to the room full of people.

"Yes Iroh!" Ursa exclaimed. "We've been over it hundreds of times!"

"One more time! Just to be sure." Iroh said in his polite and happy manner but with an undertone of authority.

"Alright, our earthbenders over here" Ursa said, pointing to three men sat at a table in the corner. "Derail the carriage carrying my children and their friends, knock out my daughter, careful not to hurt her" she gave a scowl to another group of men along one room when they groaned at this statement. "Me and you" she said pointing to Iroh. "Talk to Zuko, convincing him to come with us, and hopefully his friends, to Omashu."

"Perfect! What could go wrong?" Iroh exclaimed.

A man rushed through the door, everyone turned to look at him as he said "The monorail has just left!"

"It's time to go everyone!" Iroh shouted over the rising chatter. "Stick to the plan and we'll be out of this city in no time!"

The room of people all moved out in several directions, a few went out the front and back entrances, most of them went into numerous tunnels now appearing in the ground, made by the earthbenders the previous day. The group reached the interception point in good time, long before the carriage reached it. While they were waiting Iroh started to worry, he didn't let it show. He was hoping so much that Ursa's presence would be enough to convince Zuko to come with them, but if he was wrong it would just lead to a lot of heartbreak on both sides. He was also hoping Azula wouldn't be too much of a problem and leaving her in one piece won't turn out to be a mistake. But he'd soon find out, the carriage just came into view.

He felt Ursa grip his arm as the earthbenders readied themselves, it seemed to happen in slow motion. The pillars holding up the carriage fell away, carriage falling and landing with a crash on the ground. The earthbenders were first into the carriage, subduing Azula, Ursa was next, closely followed by Iroh, while everyone else surrounded the rubble, ready to defend the people inside if needs be.

Zuko climbed up off the floor to see three men earthbending his sister into restraints. He went to help her out when he felt a hand on his shoulder, a hand that seemed very familiar, but one he hadn't felt in years. He spun around; he had to see if it was her. The women who met his gaze had changed very little since that night all those years ago, but it was definitely his mother. A tear formed in his eye and he embraced his mother. "Mother? But how?"

"Not here Zuko, we have to leave. Come with us" she gestured towards his uncle "and we'll tell you everything. Mai, Ty Lee, I'd be honoured if you joined us."

"I'm not leaving Zuko, I'm in." She looked towards Ty Lee. Who was looking between them and Azula who was still out cold. The sound of fighting started to sound from outside.

"We have to go, NOW!" Iroh announced.

"C'mon Ty Lee, just leave Azula, you never wanted to go with her anyway!" Mai half shouted the statement at her friend.

"Oh...but...we can't just..." in that moment Azula's eyes shot open and looked around at the group in the carriage, giving them all murderous looks, screaming unmentionable things beneath the gag. "Okay I'm coming!"

The group ran out of the carriage, met by the earthbenders opening up another tunnel, the one that would lead them out of the city and to safety. Dai Li hadn't arrived yet, making their escape easier. The group ran into the tunnel, only Ursa looked back at her daughter squirming in the rubble as everyone rushed in and the tunnel closed, a tear leaving her eye.


	7. Chapter 7: You really wonna split up?

**The wrecked Monorail carriage:**

Azula was angry, angry was an understatement. There isn't really a word to describe what she was feeling. She had just watched her own brother and two supposed friends abandon her and leave with her treacherous Uncle and most unbelievably her Mother. Upon the Dai Li's arrival at the crash site she was released from her earthen shackles and started ordering the earthbenders to find the group of hostiles. They departed immediately, without a word. The firebenders and warriors who had arrived earlier to try and repel the group were now regrouping to try and assist the search. But before they could leave the enraged Princess shot lightening in the direction of the group, striking one of them. The unknown victim was dead before they'd hit the floor. By now a group of citizens had started to crowd the area. Once they saw this a large amount of them fled, hearing of the Princesses' notorious temper and knowing that they could possibly be next. The fire nation guards did the same. Azula carried on shooting lightening in all direction, tears of rage streaming from her eyes. Ear splitting shrieks erupting from her mouth. Her lightening strikes were striking people and buildings around her, she was directing all of her rage into her firebending, making her pretty much unstoppable.

Suddenly she stopped, bodies covered in rubble and dust clinging to the air around her. She took several deep breaths and found her composure once again. She walked back towards the palace, knowing in her mind what she was going to do next. She was going to make her mark and change _everything_.

**The abandoned Earth Kingdom town:**

The decision to split up hadn't been one the group decided quickly. None of Marc's group were keen on splitting up so soon after arriving at the new world. The Gaang were equally against it, especially with Aang in such a state. Whatever happened Katara knew she wasn't going to leave Aang, even if she seemed to have found new hope in the arrival of Marc. Her loyalties were firmly with Aang. Zac and Sokka were the two arguing for the split the most, Sokka knew the logistics made sense and it gave them a better chance while Zac was keen to travel with Iroh as he'd been intrigued by him ever since the chance encounter in Ba Sing Se.

The plan Sokka proposed was that Katara would take Aang and go with Zac and Bekah and go with Iroh to take back Omashu. Obviously Aang couldn't help but once they had the city back it would be a safe place for Katara to heal Aang back to health. Meanwhile himself, Toph, Marc, Ally and Georgia would find Hakoda and the other Water Tribe men and travel with them to gather the allies The Gaang had accumulated over the past months and take them to Omashu where they'd make a plan for the eclipse.

"HEY!" shouted Sokka "It's a great plan, we won't be apart for that long, just a few weeks really." This was in reply to Katara's thoughts on the plan; she was the least keen on splitting up the group and losing her brother.

Toph decided it was her turn to make a contribution "C'mon sweetness, I don't wonna be leaving you and Twinkletoes but it's our best bet in the long run. We can't keep travelling with Aang in his condition and he needs you to be there for him. We have these guys, we'll be fine. And we'll bring back some reinforcements for the eclipse plan."

"Yeah, it does make sense. But whatever you guys decide to do, I'm going with Iroh" announced Zac.

"And I'm staying with him" Bekah said pointing to Zac.

"Guys...you really wonna split up so soon?" Marc asked them.

"I agree with Butch over here" Ally said gesturing to Toph "it's a good plan. I'm going with her and boomerang man"

"Me too. I'm going with the plan" Georgia decided.

Katara was keeping quiet, she didn't like the plan but she knew it's what was going to happen. "What about Appa and Momo? Who will they go with?" Katara asked, looking over at them. Appa grumbled at mention of his name.

"I'm not sure, Appa would probably be more help to us then you guys. If he'll come with us that is" He roared in disdain. He didn't like the thought of leaving Aang but knew this was hoe he could help him.

"I think the big guy will be just fine" Toph replied.

"Fine, the plan it is" Katara replied, anger clearly present in her reply.

"Marc, it's just you who needs to decide now" Sokka asked, looking over at Marc.

"Okay, I guess we go with the plan. By the looks of the letter we need to leave. The sooner the better." Marc said quite unwillingly, he didn't want to split with his new friends.

"Lets leave now, the rendezvous point with Iroh isn't far from Ba Sing Se, we'll go there and then onwards to Chameleon Bay and look for Dad." Sokka announced.

"Alright then, lets go!" Toph shouted while launching herself into the air and onto Appa's back.

Marc and Sokka sat on Appa's head; Momo perched on Marc's shoulder. The rest of the group were hanging onto the Appa's back, Georgia and Katara keeping hold of Aang seeming as he couldn't hold on himself. "yip yip!" Sokka exclaimed and the giant bison soared into the air. The ruined town was barely visible soon enough as they were flying back the way they came.

Various thoughts were running through the groups head's. Marc hoping his friends would be alright. Knowing he won't be able to help them once they split up. Sokka was worried for his sister, the longer Aang didn't wake up, the worse she got. Toph was worried about Aang, him still being out was affecting her more then she'd like to admit. Katara was split between which Avatar to follow. Zac and Bekah were apprehensive as to what awaited them with Iroh and Georgia and Ally were excited to meet the allies Sokka had spoken of earlier. After a few hours of flying and relative silence Sokka suddenly pointed towards the horizon, Ba Sing Se had come back into view. For Marc and his friends it was the first time they'd seen it in sunlight and only now could they appreciate it's scale. They weren't flying towards it though, but towards an outcrop of rocks a few miles away from the first wall.

Appa was beginning to grow tired of the slightly larger group he was carrying so found arriving at the rendezvous point quite a relief. Iroh was there to greet the group. "I'm so glad you all made it okay, I knew you'd come." After dismounting the group greeted the old man and followed him into the camp at the base of the rocks. "I insist that you stay for dinner and leave in the morning, you won't achieve anything in the dark."

"That would be much appreciated Iroh, thank you" Marc replied.

"Yeah, I suppose we could stay for a night" Sokka agreed.

"Good, but I need to te-"but before the man could finish his sentence to warn the group of Zuko's presence they had rounded the corner and bumped right into him and Ursa.

Katara was the first to act, Summoning all the water she could find around her and throwing it all at Zuko, throwing him backwards into a tent, reducing it to a pile of wood and canvas. "WHAT THE HELL IS **HE **DOING HERE?" she shrieked at Iroh. The confrontation had gathered the camp's attention, everyone was making their way over the group.

Before Iroh could answer Ursa did "**He**, is my son and he has every right to be here."

"His mother...but he told me..." Katara stuttered.

"That I was dead? He thought I was, thanks to his father." Ursa replied.

Katara studied the women, sensing real sincerity in her voice. The women really reminded her of her own mother, Sokka had noticed this too. Katara began to cry and landed in the nearest person's arms, which happened to be Marc's. Katara realised this and blushed, but she didn't move as she liked being in his arms too much.

After calming down and getting some food Iroh and Ursa told the newcomers what happened in Ba Sing Se after they left. Zuko, Mai and Ty Lee were also present, old rivalries seemed to have dissipated. At least for now.

Sokka and Marc then went onto tell them their plan. Iroh agreed with it. Apart from one part, he believed Katara should leave Aang and travel with Sokka and the others. She point blank refused, insisting she couldn't leave Aang. Iroh didn't persist, knowing her mind wasn't going to be changed now.

Once it grew dark the camp went to bed. Marc stayed up with Katara while she gave Aang a healing session. "So what was earlier about?" Marc asked Katara as she tended to Aang's injuries.

"What do you mean?" she asked, clearly knowing what he was talking about.

"You know, the whole breaking down crying into my arms thing after attacking Zuko and arguing with his mum thing" he said, rather matter of factly, he'd always got annoyed with girls quite easily, guys were a lot easier to read.

"Oh...that." she muttered, stopping what she was doing and looking towards the ground. "It's just that...well..." she started.

Marc moved towards her and put an arm around her. "It's okay, you can tell me." He told her reassuringly.

Katara felt safer around Marc, she wasn't sure why, but having him so close gave him the strength to carry on. "When Sokka and I were a lot younger, our village was attacked. I and he were playing in the snow when the snow started to turn black. We'd been warned about this before, the fire nation were coming. I went to find our mother while Sokka went to find Dad. When I got to our house a man in there, talking to my mother" all the time she was talking Katara was holding onto the necklace around her neck "He was one of the raiders, as I ran in a flash of fire hit my mother. The man ran off, pushing me to the floor. I ran over to her, unsure what was happening. She grabbed my hand and whispered into my ear: Katara, I'm sorry, look after your brother and never forget me. I love you" She paused for a minute as the tears took her over. "She then fell silent and lost her grip on my hand, when I opened my hand her necklace was in it, this necklace" she pointed at the one she'd been holding throughout the story.

"Katara...I'm so sorry. I can't even imagine what that's like" Marc said, almost lost for words.

"Thank you. But then meeting Ursa earlier, well she just really reminded me of my own mother and Zuko had told me what happened with his mother and i couldn't keep it in. I'm sorry to dump this all on you Marc; I've barely known you two days."

"Hey, there's no need to be sorry" Katara continued to sob as he stroked her hair. Once she fell asleep he carefully laid her down and covered her in blankets, doing the same with Aang and then went to sleep himself.


	8. Chapter 8: I'll try mother, for you

**The White Lotus camp**:

When Sokka woke up most of the people in the camp were already busy preparing for moving on. Looking around he saw that Zac and Bekah were helping, already becoming part of the group. He couldn't see Toph but the earth tent she was in had disappeared so he guessed she'd gotten up to find breakfast or something. He spied Georgia and Ally sat around a campfire eating fried eggs, but before he could join them Iroh called him over. "I believe I can help you with the search for your father."

"Really, how?" Sokka asked Iroh. The man reached into his robes and pulled out a scroll. "This is an intelligence report from one of our scouts based at Chameleon Bay at the time of the invasion, the water tribe retreated from the bay, last thing we knew they were camping in forest a few miles away from it" he handed Sokka the scroll.

"Thank you Iroh" Sokka eyed the man, Iroh gave a questioning look "You look like you enjoy your food Iroh, who's the best person to go to for a little breakfast?" Iroh laughed and lead Sokka over to Georgia and Ally where he was given a plate full of food which he demolished in seconds.

As Katara awoke she remembered what had happened the night before, first she wondered where Marc was and then how stupid she was for telling him everything so easily. She'd known him for barely two days, yet she'd just told him things she'd not told even her own brother. She noticed Aang lying beside her covered in the blanket but she didn't remember putting one on him. She moved over to him, hoping this morning would be the morning he'd wake up. After shaking him lightly and saying his name she realised it wasn't to be. She opened her water skin and bended the water out, preparing herself to start this morning's healing session.

"It's amazing that you can do that" Marc's sudden appearance behind her startled Katara, she jumped quite noticeably. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to startle you." Katara didn't look round or say anything so he decided to go and sit next to her. "Did I do something wrong?" Marc asked her. She still didn't reply. Girls, thought Marc, nothings ever simple. "I was just coming to let you know Sokka wanted to leave soon, I think Iroh and the rest of the camp are as well." Still nothing. "Well I'll let Sokka know where you are." He got up and walked away "Maybe you'll talk to him." He said under his breath.

"You've really fallen hard haven't you?" Toph suddenly asked, appearing out of nowhere.

"What? I don't know what you're talking about." Katara answered, blushing and getting increasingly flustered.

"For Martha over there, I could see what happened last night." She paused, letting it sink in. "And then the cold shoulder you just gave him."

"His names Marc!"

"I rest my case" Toph started to walk away. "I'm gonna go join Ditzy and Butch Snr for breakfast, everyone's leaving soon, I'd come and get some while you can."

Katara watched her walk away. How is she always right? She put Aang on Appa's back and guided him over to the main camp where the rest of The Gaang were eating and joined them. She sat as far away from Marc as possible, he looked in her direction but she was looking in every direction but his.

Once everyone had finished eating Sokka was the first one to get up and break the silence that had fallen over everyone "Sooo, I think it's time to say our goodbyes now" He then walked over to Katara and helped her put Aang on a stretcher the Order had given them.

Marc and his friends shared a group hug. "We won't be apart for too long guys, I promise." They finished the hug and filed over to Appa where Sokka and Toph were waiting, Katara was stood next to the great beast, watching Aang.

"C'mon guys! I wonna get to Chameleon bay before lunchtime!" Sokka shouted down from Appa's head. Marc, Ally and Georgia climbed onto the bison's back. "Take care of my sister for me guys!"

"We will! And you take care of those guys!" Zac shouted back.

"We've got our work cut out then." Toph said, smiling at Sokka.

Marc looked over at Katara, who looked as if she was holding back tears, quite unsuccessfully. Marc heard Sokka say yip yip and they were flying away, he saw Katara look in his direction as the camp became nothing more than a dot on the ground.

In an effort to distract himself Marc climbed down to Appa's head and sat with Sokka. "So how far away is Chameleon Bay?"

"Not too far, a good hour or so." He looked at Marc. "You seem to have had quite an effect on my sister."

"Really?" Marc asked looking down to the ground below. "She was ignoring me this morning...and she told me some pretty heavy stuff last night...about your mother."

"It's that bad huh?" He asked looking surprised "She doesn't tell that tale to hardly anyone, I barely know what happened" he too was now looking to the ground below "It's a good thing we left her there then, that would have been very awkward."

Deciding a change of subject was needed "So have you got a girl waiting for you back home?" Marc asked Sokka.

"That's a pretty heavy subject too, my first girlfriend turned into the moon." Sokka said, now looking skyward.

"She err...turned into the moon?" Marc asked eyes wide. "Yup." Was the simple reply Sokka gave. "There is this other girl, thought I don't know if she's even alive let alone where she is."

"Why, what happened?"

"I'm not sure, but Azula and her two friends appeared in Ba Sing Se dressed in Kyoshi Warrior uniforms, which must mean they were taken by Azula, but where they are now is a mystery."

"Well they were probably moved to Ba Sing Se when she took over the city, she could have been in the cells we were in." Toph suddenly appeared over the side of the saddle, adding her bit to the conversation.

"That's what I thought, but we couldn't get back into Ba Sing Se now, it's likely Azula will be rightly pissed off, considering we all got away and Zuko and the others left her" He looked back towards the city.

"Well, we could try?" Toph and Sokka both looked at Marc. "Well, nobody really knows what us three look like" Gesturing towards himself, Ally and Georgia. "If we could get into the city, we could look for her."

"What about my dad?" he asked. "We need to find him and get going as soon as possible."

Ally and Georgia moved towards the front of the bison "Well how about this, you drop us off at Ba Sing Se and while we look for your girlfriend you find your dad and we'll meet you again in a few days."

"What ya think Sokka?" They all looked at the warrior "Would get us some more allies, which is our aim after all."

"I'm with Martha and Butch snr, as long as I get to go with them. I need to kick some more Firenation and Dai Li butt" she spat off the side of Appa as she finished her sentence.

"Okay! But we wait till nightfall to take you into the city, then there's less chance of being spotted." Sokka steered Appa towards the wall on the horizon, energized by the fact that he might be with Suki again soon.

**The White Lotus caravan:**

Katara was riding an ostrich-horse, dragging Aang's unconscious form on the stretcher behind. Their aim was Omashu in a few days, but at this rate they'd take weeks she thought. After Sokka and the others had left she didn't really talk to anybody. Zac and Bekah had tried but she wasn't really responding and left her to walk with Iroh at the front.

Ursa, Zuko, Mai and Ty Lee were somewhere in the middle. Mai and Zuko were walking hand in hand while Ty Lee was walking on her hands with Ursa in the middle. After their rushed reunion in Ba Sing Se they fled to the camp, not really saying a lot in the journey, both concentrating on escaping the Dai Li, which they did after having to make some decoy tunnels. Once at the camp Ursa led her son into one of the larger tents. She had intended on telling him everything, the reason for her banishment and what happened there after. But she couldn't, not yet. She wasn't ready and neither was he.

Instead she asked him all about what had happened with him, telling him that it wasn't the time to tell him yet. He had told her about life at home after she left, how he and Azula grew up and how close he and Iroh had become. Then he got to the reason for his banishment and for his scar. His frown returned during this part, all the other times he had a wide smile across his face which felt unnatural for him but he couldn't stop.

"So what happens now Mother?" he asked, smile partially returning. "This is the Order of the White Lotus I'm guessing. Are you one of them?"

"Yes Zuko, this is and I am." Her gaze intensified "You, Zuko. Are going to become the beautiful prince you were always meant to be."

"What do you mean?"

"Tomorrow we are going to Omashu and we are going to reclaim it in the name of the Earth Kingdom, put it back where it should be."

"But...really?"

"Yes Zuko, you and your friends are going to help. And so are some of the Avatar's friends, they'll be arriving soon. You are going to put your past and your father behind you and you're going to help end this war and become the new Fire Lord and put this horrible war behind us and earn back the Fire Nation's honour."

"But...I don't know if I can do that mother. It means betraying my country...**our** country."

"No Zuko, we are saving our country. I once thought like you, but if my years of banishment have taught me anything, it's that the Fire Nation is evil. This war has to end and not with their victory. All you need to do is try, follow me and your uncle. Make me happy my son."

"I will try mother, for you."

"Now, I think they're someone you owe an apology to, don't you?"

"Uncle?" Zuko asked. "Who else?" Ursa got up and left the tent, Zuko over heard her whisper something to someone. The next moment Iroh walked in. "Uncle..." Zuko got up and slowly approached the old man; a tear formed in Iroh's man and pulled Zuko into an embrace. "I knew you'd choose the right thing in the end." The two hugged while Ursa watched from the tent's entrance, tears of pride in her eyes.

**Royal Palace, Ba Sing Se:**

The throne room had changed a lot since Azula occupied it. Since the incident she hadn't left the room. She was, constantly planning her next move. She had the Dai Li massing her forces. She also had her father constantly demanding her return to the Fire Nation Capital. Messenger hawks were arriving all the time with messages from him, getting increasingly angered. She was not returning there. Not yet, she wasn't nearly ready enough, neither was the time right.

She knew the avatar and his little group were planning something for the eclipse, only she wasn't sure what yet. But her plan was definite. In a few weeks time, everything would be different and everyone was going to know about it. If anyone else were doing this it would be almost impossible, but Azula leaves nothing to chance, she was planning for every outcome, leaving no stone unturned. She will succeed, whatever the price.


End file.
